Why Tennessee’s Kelsey Pope Has Extra Motivation vs. Georgia Tech

There will be a little more than football involved when Tennessee travels to Atlanta on Saturday night.

For Tennessee pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope, the Vols’ first road trip of the 2026 season comes with a family connection. On the opposite sideline will be his brother, Kyle Pope, Georgia Tech’s defensive ends and outside linebackers coach.

That should make for an interesting family conversation around Christmas.

For now, however, Kelsey Pope has something else on his mind.

Brothers on Opposite Sidelines

The Pope brothers took different paths into coaching, but Saturday will put those paths in the same stadium.

#GBO🍊 https://t.co/xVa6ixcNSY
— Kelsey Pope (@CoachKelseyPope) April 29, 2026

Kelsey Pope is in his sixth season on Tennessee’s staff. After arriving as an offensive analyst in 2021 and taking over the receivers in 2022, he was promoted to pass game coordinator in December 2025. Kyle Pope is in his third season at Georgia Tech after previous coaching stops at Memphis, Liberty, Alabama, Presbyterian and Holmes Community College, along with a training-camp coaching internship with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023.

Kelsey knows the family will enjoy the matchup. He also made it clear that the sentimental part can wait.

“It’ll be fun. I think it’ll be something fun for our family. I think they’ll probably enjoy it more than me. My focus right now is to get these guys in the room ready to go win one on the road. I’m sure once we get to the back end of season, Christmas and all that stuff, it’ll be good memories. But just honestly, my focus is on the players right now. It’s in a different spot. But it’ll be a cool moment,” Pope said.

Tennessee Gets Its First Road Test

The timing makes the matchup even more intriguing.

No. 20/18 Tennessee opened the season by hammering Furman 56-9, piling up 638 yards of offense while its defense produced seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Now the Vols leave Neyland Stadium for the first time in 2026, traveling to Bobby Dodd Stadium for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff Saturday.

For Pope's receivers, that means facing a Georgia Tech secondary he clearly respects.

Tennessee wide receiver Travis Smith Jr. (1) goes through a drill in front of wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope (center, back) during the Vols' spring football practice in Knoxville on March 17, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“They’ve got some guys that have played significant football. They’ve got a transfer, who we’ve seen before who’s a really good athlete. They’ve got another kid playing corner who’s a good player. They’ve got some athletes at safety that can move around and give you some issues. We’re excited about going to face a good group.”

It is a considerable change from Week 1, and that appears to be exactly what Pope wants.

Pope Wants to See What Tennessee Is Made Of

Pope did not talk about Georgia Tech like an opponent Tennessee simply expects to overwhelm. He talked about the Yellow Jackets like a measuring stick.

“I think our guys understand it, especially with the league that we play in, that these type of games and going against these type of groups, they bring the best out of you. Some of our best games have been against really good opponents.”

That may be the most revealing part of Pope's comments.

Tennessee looked explosive in its opener, and Mike Matthews was a major reason why. The junior produced a career-high 132 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Furman.

Saturday offers something Furman could not: a road environment against a Georgia Tech team capable of giving Tennessee a much better indication of where its offense stands.

Pope said Tennessee's preparation is built around respecting that challenge.

“When we go to practice each week, we try to make sure that we respect those opponents. We talk in depth about what they do, what they like, and how we want to attack to give our guys a real plan. So I’m excited about getting down there on the road and facing a good team and seeing what we’re made of,” Pope said.

The VOLS letters during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 13, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Family Later, Football First

There is an easy storyline here. Two brothers. Two sidelines. One Saturday night in Atlanta.

Kyle Pope will be trying to help Georgia Tech's defense slow Tennessee. Kelsey Pope will be trying to help one of the nation's most explosive offenses keep rolling.

Eventually, the brothers and their family can laugh about it.

Maybe Christmas.

But when Tennessee and Georgia Tech kick off Saturday night, Kelsey Pope will not be looking across the field thinking about a family memory.

He'll be trying to create a Tennessee one.

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